MAM
Tarun Nigam to lead VivaKi Partnerships’ operations
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe’s VivaKi Exchange has appointed Tarun Nigam as COO for Vivaki Partnerships.He will be based in New Delhi and report directly to VivaKi Exchange CEO Mona Jain.
Vivaki Partnerships is the special unit housed under VivaKi Exchange that pursuses partnerships with local full service agencies and media agencies in Tier 2 & 3 markets across the country.
Nigam has over eighteen years of experience. The first four years were in pioneer TV production and marketing house United Television [UTV] and next eight in WPP Media [Mindshare, Maxus and MediaCom]. Most recently he was at Starcom MediaVest Group.
In his stint at WPP‘s various agencies, he worked on accounts such as Gillette, Ranbaxy, Hero Honda, LG Electronics, American Express, NIIT and Monte Carlo. Before he moved as office head for MediaCom Delhi earlier this year, he led several clients at Maxus, including the large and complex Hero Honda AOR. At Starcom, he has serviced Samsung, Aircel, Educomp and many other clients. Most recently, Tarun played a key role in streamlining SMG India’s operations by taking on the additional responsibility of National Director Business Impact.
VivaKi Exchange CEO Mona Jain said, “Our game is changing. To write the next chapter of VivaKi Partnerships, we were looking for someone who has the right mix of maturity and hunger, someone with a broad exposure to communication and marketing and who comes with a business, not just media, bias. Tarun fits the bill nicely.”
Nigam said, “I really liked the model of VivaKi partnerships and felt that the role is the right fit for me. I am looking forward to taking VivaKi partnerships to the next level”
VivaKi India country chair Srikant Sastri, said, “Over the past two years, we have achieved tremendous success in building a viable model for Tier 2&3 markets, as well as small advertisers. We are now moving from a start-up phase to a growth phase by putting a stronger organization in place.”
The partnerships that Vivaki Partnerships deals with are in the form of exclusive relationships to support the agencies on their strategic product, and provide value-added services. Additionally, VivaKi Partnerships also works with small size advertisers to help them achieve better pricing value on their media spends.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
